James Gunn is set to conclude his decade-long stint with Marvel with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the third and final entry in the Guardians series. Gunn has been involved with Marvel since 2014 when Guardians of the Galaxy premiered to thunderous acclaim and impressive box-office results. In the subsequent years Gunn’s journey has seen many ups and downs.
Marvel fired Gunn in 2018 over some insensitive jokes that he made years ago. Even though Gunn promptly apologized, it looked like the end of the road for him. However, Marvel succumbed to fan demand and rehired Gunn a few months later to complete the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy.
Owing to Gunn’s commitment to DC’s The Suicide Squad and its spinoff Peacemaker, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 faced significant delays but is now on track to debut in 2023. The film recently wrapped shooting, and it seems to have taken a toll on Gunn emotionally. Taking to Twitter, Gunn posted a picture of the slate for the final shot of GOTG Vol. 3, which the camera crew gifted him, and revealed how he barely controlled his tears at the gesture.
"After over 100 days of shooting & over 3000 shots, this is the slate for the final shot of #GotGVol3, presented to me by the camera crew. It was an easy shot of Rocket seated, 1st with @seangunn, & then nothing there, & took everything in me not to break down sobbing on the spot. The majority of the last ten years of my life have been spent working on & thinking about the Guardians. I still have a long road ahead of me with VFX & editing, but it was still momentous to me."
Gunn goes on to thank his wonderful cast and crew and bid goodbye to the beloved Guardians of the Galaxy series. He also explains how deeply he is connected with the unique characters of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
"It is somewhat simple to explain to others how much I love this cast & crew. It is more difficult to explain how much I love these characters - that I see them as parts of myself & parts of those I love, & filming them, & writing their words, is a way of expressing that love. Again, I’ll still be working with them over the next year until release, but shooting that last shot was a reminder of the warm impermanence of life & love, & how that impermanence makes it so precious, so valuable, & is a good reason to be grateful for what I have right now."
Replying to a fan, Gunn also confirmed fans’ suspicions about GOTG Vol. 3 being the finale of the series. "I’ve made the three I’ve made on my own terms. This is the end of this story & of this team."
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 Promises An Emotional And Satisfying End To The Series
Disney
"Emotional" is a word almost every actor associated with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has used to describe the film. The script apparently brought many cast members to tears. Dave Bautista, who plays Drax in the film, has also confirmed that he’ll be leaving the MCU after GOTG Vol. 3. It remains to be seen if his character dies or retires. Whatever the case, there are bound to be a few tear-jerking moments in the film, and Gunn himself has teased that some characters will not make it out alive. Let’s hope Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 doesn’t end on a controversial note.
Chris Pratt, Karen Gillan, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn, and Sylvester Stallone are all set to reprise their roles in GOTG Vol. 3 from the previous films, along with a few exciting additions in the form of Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock and Chukwudi Iwuji, reportedly as the High Evolutionary.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be released on May 5, 2023.